Towards realizing structures with sensory capabilities
using optical fiber neural networks

The aging of infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels that support our daily lives, is becoming a pressing social issue. My current work focuses on embedding optical fibers in these silent infrastructure structures like a web, leveraging their semi-permanent measurement capabilities. This approach aims to create structures that can sense "pain," much like the neural networks of living organisms. By deploying optical fiber sensors within structures, we can monitor changes as objective data without the labor-intensive effort of regular inspections, all while continuing to use the infrastructure. Over the lifespan of infrastructure, general contractors can accumulate data from the very beginning of its construction. Having such construction-phase data is crucial for monitoring long-term changes and assessing the structure's health. Moreover, beyond maintenance and management, real-time measurement data can help pinpoint the presence and location of damage during increasingly frequent natural disasters, enabling rapid decisions on whether the structure can continue to be used. This capability also holds potential for contributing to the smart infrastructure required for future smart cities, such as in autonomous driving systems and energy optimization.

After graduating from an electrical engineering department, I joined Kajima with aspirations of engaging in large-scale monozukuri projects. Later, I took advantage of the company’s study-abroad program to pursue civil engineering studies at a university in the United States. This experience sparked my interest in creating new value through cross-disciplinary collaboration, leading me to research optical fiber sensors, which held significant potential for practical application at the time. I took my first steps toward realizing safer and more secure infrastructure by combining structural engineering principles, such as enhanced seismic performance, with the objective data provided by electrical engineering. Through experiences like obtaining unprecedented data from real-world structures using sensor technology proposed by my university professor—technology akin to magic—I became even more committed to this vision. However, as a researcher at a general contractor that does not manufacture sensors, external collaboration is essential for creating new value. This requires working not only with universities but also with manufacturers of measurement instruments, cables, and sometimes even materials. Achieving this necessitates overcoming technical challenges while also sharing a vision for the society we aim to create. The Kajima Technical Research Institute offers an exceptional environment for addressing technical challenges and pursuing research from a broader perspective, such as smart infrastructure, thanks to its diverse team of leading researchers in the field of civil engineering. Building on the traditions established by those who came before me, I am committed to advancing the creation of new value through cross-disciplinary innovation.